Options for the Pacers in this Year’s Draft

Originally seen at alwaysmillertime.com

The Indiana Pacers had an okay draft last year. Tyler Hansbrough has a few years to prove himself and A.J. Price has stepped up big. But that was until he busted himself at a charity game.

The 2009 Draft was successful off of trades. They got Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert out of that. Rush has one more year to prove himself until he is considered a bust, and like Pace Miller said in his PacersPulse.com post: that’s being too generous. But Hibbert has stepped up big in has last two years and can turn into one of the most dominant centers in the league.

The 2008 NBA Draft was probably the best recent draft. How can you not say it is the best when Indy drafted their superstar for the future in Danny Granger?

Now a new draft awaits as the Pacers have a lot of options to choose from. Who shall it be?

Let’s take a look at the players and options that Indy can do.Ekpe Udoh

The Pacers can draft Ekpe Udoh. He has a great PF and none of the PF’s the Pacers have are going to be the future. Hansbrough would be surprising if he were the future and Troy Murphy, Josh McRoberts, and Solomon Jones would be laughable as a future PF.

Udoh is dominant and fast. He has great character and everything. He’s also not undersized, like Hasnbrough. Udoh is a dominant 6′10″ 240-pound PF that can be an easy steal for Indy.

You can read more about Udoh here some where back here in the archives.

Hassan Whiteside

I’m not very interested in the Pacers drafting Whiteside. I don’t think he can live up to expectations and I think if Larry Bird drafts him, he probably would be thinking boom or bust.

Cole Aldrich or Gordon Hayward

I don’t know what you can laugh at more for the Pacers drafting: Gordon Hayward or Cole Aldrich. Hayward plays the position of the best player on our team (you know who). Hayward can possibly play PF, but it just won’t work out at all.

Cole Aldrich? Are you kidding me? He’ll be nothing more than a backup center for Indy. It won’t work out and if Aldrich is even available, please Indy, I strongly encourage you not to draft him.

And Hayward? Come on, man! He’s projected a 23-28. He got boosted up just because of the WHOLE TEAM EFFORT in the FInal Four. Not just him. So don’t take a chance.

Ed Davis

Ed Davis would be a nice pick. I would say it would be exactly the same for Ekpe Udoh. Both he and Roy Hibbert can team up to make a strong Big Men combination.

Avery Bradley or Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe was a great guard at Kentucky. But I don’t think it should happen. He would be picked way too early considering he is projected a very late first-rounder to early second-rounder. Don’t take the chance on him.

Avery Bradley is a good option, but is projected elsewhere and I really don’t like Indy taking a chance on him either. I think the Pacers should look for a guard in the second round, maybe. Jordan Crawford, anyone?

Xavier Henry

Henry is an excellent shooter and I wouldn’t mind seeing him a future shooting guard for the Pacers. Dahntay Jones and Brandon Rush don’t seem like the future yet, so I can take my bid on the great shooter from Kansas.

Tony Parker

Now we all know that the San Antonio Spurs’ point guard Tony Parker isn’t an option at a draft pick. But I strongly consider the Pacers trying to do something in a trade for him.

There was a rumor popped out of there that the Pacers would offer their tenth overall pick with Troy Murphy and Brandon Rush for the explosive 28-year-old. I wouldn’t mind since the tenth pick is very confusing.

But I can see it. The Pacers need a point guard, so I’d take it.

NBA Rumor Mill: Jazz Have New Logo? Collison Getting Traded?

Hello, folks, and welcome to today’s NBA Rumor Mill!

Not many rumors today but they are still pretty good to qualify as a Rumor Mill article. And some of the rumors are pretty good, actually.

If Tom Izzo goes to the Cleveland Cavaliers as their head coach, there’s a little sneak peek of what his staff might look like.

Also, will the Utah Jazz have a new uniform and logo?

Will New Orleans Hornets’ point guard Darren Collison get traded?

All of this and more on today’s NBA Rumor Mill. So read on!

Enjoy.

Tom Izzo

If Tom Izzo joins the Cavaliers, Yahoo! Spors has a sneak peek of what his staff might look like:

“Izzo is expected to pursue a coaching staff that would include former New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank and former Michigan State and Cavaliers guard Eric Snow. Cleveland has kept former coach Mike Brown’s staff under contract, and management has encouraged Izzo to consider those assistants, including Mike Malone and Chris Jent, for his own staff.”

Darren Collison

The Hornets may trade Darren Collison for draft picks possibly. Here’s more on that from ESPN’s Marc Stein:

“Rival executives will continue to try to convince the Hornets to make Chris Paul available in trades, pointing to the fact that Williams can simply slide the promising Darren Collison and his modest $1.4 million salary into that spot. When those teams get shot down, look for the Hornets — based on the hints we’ve received from more than one exec — to make Collison available as long as the interested party is willing to take back the cap-clogging contract of Emeka Okafor, James Posey or Peja Stojakovic with Paul’s backup.”

More Rumors Around the Mill

The Hawks signing Larry Drew as their as their coach may bring Joe Johnson to return to the Hawks.

Utah Jazz are changing their colors. Here’s more on that from the Salt-Lake Tribune:

“The Jazz will celebrate the return of the music note with an unveiling of their new logo and colors Tuesday morning. The event will take place at 9:45 a.m. at the EnergySolutions Arena ticket lobby, with the public invited to attend, the team announced. The music note served as the Jazz’s primary logo from the franchise’s expansion beginnings in New Orleans in 1974 through the relocation to Utah until 1996, when the Jazz adopted their current mountain logo. As part of the return to the music note, though, the Jazz are expected to adopted a blue, green and gold color scheme.”

Jammie Kirlew and Faith Sherrill Named Arthur Ahse Jr. Sports Scholars

According to IUhoosiers.com, Indiana Hoosiers’ former defensive end Jammie Kirlew, who is now with the Denver Bronocs, and field athlete Faith Sherrill were named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars.

Here’s a bit of an explanation of the program, from the source:

“Established in 1992 by the publication Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, the Sports Scholars Awards honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.

“A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism. To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2; and be active on their campuses or in their communities. This year approximately 600 male and female student-athletes from across the country were nominated.”

Kirlew was ranked as one of top defensive ends in the Big Ten and had four statistics in which he was in the Top Ten for the Big Ten conference.

Kirlew was later drafted by the Denver Broncos of the National Football League in this year’s draft.

He was selected in the seventh round.

“We are used to congratulating Jammie for prestigious honors and the entire program does so once again,” Lynch said. “This is another example why he will be successful not only in the National Football League but in any field he chooses to pursue.”

During the 2009-10 Hoosiers’ football season, Kirlew was nominated for many awards.

He was on the watch list for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and Rotary Lombardi Award.

He finished as a Top-Ten Finalist for the ARA Sportsmanship Award, though.

Kirlew was nominated as the team’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight season and was voted to the second and first All-Big-Ten squad.

Kirlew will be one of the best players known in Hoosiers’ football history, having 23 sacks which is tied for third in history and tied for second with 52.5 career tackles loss.

Sherrill played excellent and also won the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year Award.

“Faith has really emerged as an elite athlete this year,” head coach Ron Helmer said. “She has managed to raise her performance to among the nation’s best, while maintaining a high level of achievement in her academics.”

Congrats to both!

I’m Back

I’m back guys. Look for great posts coming soon, thanks